British Transport Police (BTP) officers have been trialling body-worn video cameras for use at major sporting events.
The VEEcam video recorders were deployed for high-profile football matches including last month’s Carling Cup Final at Wembley between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur and the Cooperative Insurance Cup Final at Hampden Park, Glasgow between Celtic and Rangers. They have also been used in policing fans travelling to Premier League matches and to possible flashpoint fixtures – such as the FA Cup tie between Nottingham Forest and Derby County. The BTP’s Football Crime Unit says the cameras have been an aid to officers monitoring movements of supporters travelling to and from matches and for gathering evidence of any incidents which can assist successful prosecutions.
VEEcam – Video for Extreme Environments – has been developed by Bristol-based firm Persides. They are described as suitable for video or stills surveillance and are a tool for gathering overt and covert intelligence. The Scottish area of BTP has been experimenting with different models of body-worn cameras. Detective Constable Ian Banyard, Technical Support Unit representative for the BTP in Scotland, said: "We have looked at different systems that are available on the market but some of the cheaper versions do not have the functionality and robustness of the VEEcam."
He added: "Body-worn videos are excellent in situations where it is difficult for officers to carry hand-held video cameras and for operating in some of our more confined spaces, such as on the Glasgow Subway. We have identified that the quality is good enough for us now to look into developing a system to relay the pictures back directly to our tactical commanders. This is something we’re striving to achieve in partnership with Persides. The cameras certainly help in the evidence gathering process while also acting as a deterrent against crime. I believe people are less likely to offend if they know their actions are going to be captured on film."
For Detective Constable Graham Naughton, BTP’s Force Football Intelligence Officer, VEEcam has offered benefits in monitoring travelling fans. He said: "The quality is spot on and the sound is excellent. Although trains sometimes have CCTV, they don’t have sound. Every time we use a camera, the sound is vital because what is said can be key to how situations can escalate very quickly."
